JP2001091353A - Insolation sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To finely control an air conditioning operation by controlling the wind amount and the temperature of the air conditioning operation according to the insolation amount so as to be different on the side of a driver's seat, on the side of an assistant driver's seat an on the side of a rear seat according to the insolation direction. SOLUTION: This insolation sensor 1 is provided with a light receiving element 2 whose light receiving face is divided into a plurality of at least three light receiving regions 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d and which outputs detection signals according to insolation amounts which are respectively incident from the respective light receiving regions. The insolation sensor is provided with a light receiving lens 3 which is arranged and installed by keeping a prescribed interval from the respective light receiving regions on the photodetector 2, and an insolation- state computing means which computes an insolation state such as an insolation amount, insolation altitude, insolation direction or the like on the basis of the detection signals of the respective light receiving regions. The light receiving lens 3 is composed of a first face 3a whose optical axis Z passes nearly the center of the lens 3, which passes the center of the light receiving face of the photo detector 2 and which passes the point of intersection of dividing lines dividing the light receiving face into the respective light receiving regions. The light receiving lens 3 is composed of a second face 3b whose radius of curvature is smaller than that of the first face on the side of the photo detector 2 and which has a nearly concave spherical shape.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a solar radiation sensor for detecting the amount of sunlight that has arrived, and more particularly, to direct radiation of sunlight to an occupant in addition to outside air temperature, such as temperature control in an air conditioner of an automobile. The present invention relates to a solar radiation sensor used when it is desired to perform temperature control according to the state of the solar radiation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art First, the characteristics required for a solar radiation sensor used for an air conditioner of an automobile will be described. In a state where the sun is directly above, an occupant is shielded from direct sunlight by a roof. Rather, the temperature control may be performed only by controlling the temperature in the vehicle compartment to the set temperature.

However, when the sun is tilted, the occupant receives radiant heat when exposed to direct sunlight entering through a window, and feels hotter than the temperature in the vehicle compartment. It is desirable to appropriately lower the temperature in the vehicle compartment from the set temperature. Therefore, as a solar radiation sensor, a detection characteristic proportional to the amount of radiant heat received by the occupant is desired.

FIG. 10 shows an example of a conventional solar radiation sensor 90 of this kind having the above-mentioned characteristics. For example, the center of the light receiving surface of the light receiving element 91 and the optical axis are arranged above the light receiving element 91. The light receiving lens 92 so that
Is installed on the dashboard of the car. The light receiving lens 92 has a conical lens portion 92a, a concave lens portion 92b, and a convex lens portion 92c formed on an inner surface thereof. The conical lens portion 92a blocks light from directly above, transmits light obliquely, and forms a concave lens portion. 92b is configured to guide the light in the horizontal plane from the oblique direction to the light receiving surface, and the convex lens portion 92c is configured to guide the oblique light in a predetermined range to the light receiving surface. As a result, as shown in FIG. 11, the output of the solar radiation sensor is suppressed by suppressing the output at around 90 degrees at which the direct sunlight of the sun is blocked by the roof of the vehicle body and increasing the output at around 30 degrees where the direct sunlight of the sun is large. The characteristics are supplemented so as to approximate the feeling of heat due to the sunlight entering through the window of the occupant.

[0005]

However, in the case of such a conventional solar radiation sensor 90, only the amount of solar radiation is detected, and the altitude and azimuth of sunlight cannot be detected. Therefore, even if there is a difference in the amount of solar radiation on the driver's seat side, the passenger's seat side, the rear seat side, etc., depending on the height and direction of the sunlight, the same air conditioning control can only be performed. Has become an issue.

[0006]

According to the present invention, as a specific means for solving the above-mentioned conventional problems, a light receiving surface is divided into at least three light receiving regions, and the amount of solar radiation incident on each of the light receiving regions is determined. A light-receiving element that outputs a corresponding detection signal; a light-receiving lens that is disposed to face the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element at a predetermined distance; And the like, wherein the light receiving lens divides the light receiving surface into the respective light receiving regions while the optical axis passes through substantially the center of the lens and is the center of the light receiving surface of the light receiving element. Passing through the intersection of the dividing line, a first surface of a substantially convex spherical shape on the solar radiation side, and a second surface of a substantially concave spherical shape having a smaller radius of curvature than the first surface on the light receiving element side, To provide a solar radiation sensor It is intended to solve the problem.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a solar radiation sensor 1 according to the present invention. The solar radiation sensor 1 includes a light receiving element 2 and a light receiving lens 3 mounted so as to cover the entire light receiving element 2.
It is composed of

The light receiving element 2 is configured as shown in FIG. 2. A light receiving surface is formed by photoelectric conversion elements such as a photodiode and a phototransistor. The light receiving surface is composed of four light receiving areas 2a having the same square shape. 2b, 2c, 2
d. Then, it is mounted on the lead frame 5 and molded with the molding resin 4.

The lead frame 5 includes light receiving areas 2a, 2a,
b, 2c, 2d, the light receiving regions 2a, 2b, 2
Each of c and 2d is connected to each of the lead frames 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d for detecting signal extraction electrodes, and is connected to the lead frame 5e for common electrodes.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the light receiving element 2. The light receiving surface is divided into four identical square light receiving areas 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d by a dividing line P and a dividing line Q. The intersection O between P and Q is the center of the entire light receiving surface formed by the four light receiving regions.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the solar radiation sensor 1.
A light receiving lens 3 is provided so as to cover the entire light receiving element 2. The light receiving lens 3 has an optical axis Z substantially passing through the center of the lens 3 and a light receiving area 2a, 2b, 2c, 2
d passes through the center O of the entire light receiving surface. The first surface 3a on the solar radiation side is formed in a substantially convex spherical shape, and the second surface 3b on the light receiving element 2 side is formed in a substantially concave spherical shape having a smaller radius of curvature than the first surface 3a.

Each light receiving area 2a, 2b, 2
A detection signal corresponding to the amount of solar radiation incident on each of c and 2d is input to the solar radiation state calculating means 6 as shown in FIG.
The amount of solar radiation, the altitude of solar radiation, and the direction of solar radiation are calculated by the solar radiation state computing means 6. Then, the output of the solar radiation state computing means 6 is sent to an air conditioning control device (not shown), and air conditioning control is performed according to the solar radiation state.

The air-conditioning control according to the state of solar radiation means, for example, not only controlling the airflow and temperature of air-conditioning according to the amount of solar radiation, but also calculating the altitude of solar radiation and the azimuth of solar radiation.
By deriving the angle and direction in which the sunlight shines through the window of the car, the airflow and temperature of the air conditioning differ between the driver's seat and the passenger's seat (left and right). Fine control, such as varying the air volume and temperature of air conditioning, is also possible.

A method of detecting the state of solar radiation such as the amount of solar radiation, the solar radiation altitude, the solar radiation direction, etc., of the solar radiation sensor 1 configured as described above will be described.

The solar radiation sensor 1 includes, for example, detection areas 2a of the light receiving element 2 on an upper surface of a dashboard on a front seat side of an automobile.
2b, 2c and 2d are mounted so as to be horizontal. It is assumed that this state is set on a coordinate axis as shown in FIG. That is, the x-axis and the y-axis are set in the horizontal direction and the z-axis is set in the vertical direction around the point O where the division lines P and Q of the light receiving regions 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d intersect. Further, as shown in FIG. 6 (b), the x-axis is 0 degree altitude, the z-axis is 90 degree altitude, the x-axis is 0 degree azimuth, and the y-axis is 90 degree azimuth. ), Β, γ, δ (= 90
Degrees), the solar radiation direction is A (= 0 degrees), B, C (= 45 degrees),
Consider the case of D, E (= 90 degrees).

Each light receiving area 2a, 2b, 2
Above c and 2d, a light receiving lens 3 is disposed at a predetermined interval, and the light receiving lens 3 has an optical axis Z substantially passing the center of the lens 3 and the center of the light receiving surface of the light receiving element 2. It passes through the intersection O of the dividing lines P and Q dividing the light receiving surface into the respective light receiving regions 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d, and the first surface 3a on the solar radiation side
Are formed in a substantially convex spherical shape, and the second surface 3b on the light receiving element 2 side is formed in a substantially concave spherical shape having a smaller radius of curvature than the first surface 3a. Therefore, as shown in FIG. The amount of light incident on the light receiving element 2 is affected by the lens effect of the light receiving lens 3 depending on the incident angle and direction of the light.

That is, in the example shown in FIG. 9, the light receiving lens 3 is a diffusion lens, and when the solar radiation altitude is α = 0 degrees, it is farther from the solar radiation direction than the light that is incident on the light receiving regions 2a and 2b closer to the solar radiation direction. The light incident on the light receiving areas 2c and 2d on the side has a greater degree of diffusion due to the lens effect of the light receiving lens 3, so that the detection signals of the light receiving areas 2a and 2b are higher than the detection signals of the light receiving areas 2c and 2d. Large, solar radiation altitude β
= 30 degrees, the degree of diffusion of the light incident on the light receiving areas 2c and 2d is larger than that of the light incident on the light receiving areas 2a and 2b, and the detection signals of the light receiving areas 2a and 2b have the same light receiving area. Although the output signal is larger than the detection signals 2c and 2d, the difference in output is smaller than when the solar radiation altitude is 0 degree,
When the solar radiation altitude is γ = 60 degrees, the difference is further reduced and gradually approaches. Then, when the solar radiation altitude is δ = 90 degrees, the detection signals of the light receiving areas 2a and 2b and the light receiving area 2c,
The amount of solar radiation incident on 2d finally becomes the same, and the respective detection signals become equal. Thus, the light receiving lens 3
The center of the radius of curvature of the surface 3a on the solar radiation side and the surface 3b on the light receiving element 2 side are both on the optical axis Z, and the radius of curvature of the surface 3b on the light receiving element side is smaller than that of the solar radiation side 3a. Therefore, the sunlight is refracted by the lens effect of the light receiving lens 3 and guided to the light receiving surface, and the output ratio of each light receiving area monotonically increases or decreases linearly or substantially parabolically as the angle of solar radiation increases. Will be shown.

Even when the solar radiation direction changes in addition to the solar radiation altitude, the light receiving areas 2a, 2b, 2c,
2d is affected by the lens effect of the light receiving lens 3 according to the solar radiation direction, so that each light receiving area 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d
The output ratio of the detection signal of d shows a characteristic of monotonically increasing or monotonically decreasing, and using the result, the amount of solar radiation, the solar radiation altitude, and the solar radiation azimuth can be derived by the solar radiation state computing means 6 as described below. .

First, the calculation of the amount of solar radiation is performed in each light receiving area 2a,
It is obtained for each light receiving area by the detection signals (output current) of 2b, 2c, and 2d.

Next, the calculation of the solar radiation altitude is performed by selecting the maximum detection signal S among the detection signals output from the respective light receiving areas 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d of the light receiving element 2, and
The output ratio T / S between the light receiving area outputting the maximum detection signal S and the detection signal T of the light receiving area located diagonally is calculated.
For example, assuming that the light receiving region outputting the maximum detection signal in FIG. 6A is 2a, the light receiving region located diagonally to this light receiving region 2a is 2d. The calculation result at this time is as shown in FIG. 7, and the output ratio T / S also increases in proportion to the increase in altitude. When the altitude is 90 degrees, that is, when sunlight is irradiated from directly above, 2a is obtained. Since the amount of solar radiation of 2d is equal, T = S, and the output ratio T / S is 1. Therefore, if the table of FIG. 7 is stored in advance, the output ratio T
The solar radiation altitude can be derived from the calculation result of / S with reference to the table.

The calculation of the solar radiation azimuth is performed by using the maximum detection signal S and the detection signals U and V of the light receiving region outputting the maximum detection signal S and the light receiving regions adjacent to the left and right sides.
Calculate SV / S. For example, assuming that the light receiving region outputting the maximum detection signal in FIG. 6A is 2a, the light receiving regions adjacent to the left and right sides of the light receiving region 2a are 2b, 2a
c. The calculation result at this time is as shown in FIG. 8, and the output ratio (U / S−V / S) differs depending on the azimuth (A, B, C, D, E) (A, B, C, D). ,
E). Therefore, if the table of FIG. 8 is stored in advance, the solar radiation azimuth can be obtained by referring to the table from the relationship between the solar radiation altitude derived from the previous calculation result and the output ratio (U / S−V / S). Can be derived.

In this manner, the insolation state such as the amount of insolation, the insolation altitude, the insolation direction, etc. is derived, and the result is output as a control signal to an air conditioning controller (not shown) to control the air volume and temperature of the air conditioning according to the insolation amount. In addition, it is possible to control differently on the driver's seat side, the passenger seat side, and the rear seat side according to the solar radiation altitude and the solar radiation direction.

Although the above embodiment has been described as an example in which the light receiving surface of the light receiving element 2 is divided into four light receiving regions, the present invention is not limited to this, and each light receiving region is divided into at least three light receiving regions. It only has to be divided.

In the above-described embodiment, the shape of the light receiving area is square. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the light receiving area may be a circle or a circle divided radially. It is only necessary that the region is divided into the same shape and the same area.

Further, at least three light receiving elements each having a light receiving region of the same area may be provided adjacent to each other such that the light receiving regions are on the same plane. One light receiving lens 3 is disposed opposite to the light receiving element 2 at a predetermined interval so as to cover the entire light receiving element 2, and outputs a detection signal according to the amount of solar radiation incident on each light receiving area of each light receiving element. It suffices to provide a solar radiation state calculating means for calculating the solar radiation state such as the amount of solar radiation, the solar radiation altitude, the solar radiation direction, etc. from the signal. In this case, as in the previous embodiment, the number of the light receiving elements 2 may be at least three, and the light receiving regions of the respective light receiving elements may have the same shape and the same area.

The calculation of the solar radiation altitude and the solar radiation azimuth of the solar radiation state computing means 6 has been described as being performed by selecting the maximum detection signal from the detection signals of the respective light receiving regions. In this case, since the increase and decrease in the characteristics of FIGS. 7 and 8 are only reversed, it is possible to derive the solar altitude and the solar azimuth in the same manner by the above method.

[0028]

As described above, according to the solar radiation sensor of the present invention, the light receiving surface is divided into at least three light receiving regions, and the light receiving surface outputs a detection signal corresponding to the amount of solar radiation incident on each of the light receiving regions. An element, a light-receiving lens disposed opposite to a light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element at a predetermined interval, and solar radiation for calculating a solar radiation state such as a solar radiation amount, a solar radiation altitude, a solar radiation azimuth from a detection signal of each of the light-receiving regions. The light receiving lens has an optical axis passing through the approximate center of the lens and the center of the light receiving surface of the light receiving element and passing through an intersection of a dividing line that divides the light receiving surface into light receiving regions. ,
A configuration provided with a solar radiation sensor comprising a substantially convex spherical first surface on the solar radiation side and a substantially concave spherical second surface having a smaller radius of curvature than the first surface on the light receiving element side. By doing so, it is possible to control the air volume and temperature of the air conditioning according to the amount of solar radiation differently on the driver's seat side, the passenger seat side, the rear seat side depending on the solar radiation altitude and the solar radiation direction, and it is possible to finely control it.
This is extremely effective in improving the performance as a solar radiation sensor used in this type of automotive air conditioner.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of a solar radiation sensor according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a light receiving element of the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a light receiving element of the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a solar radiation sensor according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the same embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state set on coordinate axes according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a characteristic diagram according to the solar radiation altitude of the same embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a characteristic diagram according to the solar radiation azimuth of the same embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a light receiving state according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 11 is a characteristic diagram of a conventional solar radiation sensor element.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Insolation sensor 2 ... Light receiving element 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d ... Light receiving area 3 ... Light receiving lens 3a ... 1st surface 3b ... 2nd surface 4 ... Mold resin 5 ... Lead frame 6 ... ... Insolation state calculation means

Claims (4)

[Claims] A light-receiving element which divides a light-receiving surface into at least three light-receiving areas and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the amount of solar radiation incident on each of the light-receiving areas; A light-receiving lens disposed opposite to the light-emitting lens,
An insolation state calculating means for calculating an insolation amount, an insolation altitude, an insolation state or the like from the detection signal of each of the light receiving regions, wherein the light receiving lens has an optical axis passing substantially the center of the lens and the light receiving element. Passing through the intersection of the dividing lines that divide the light receiving surface into each light receiving area at the center of the light receiving surface of
A solar radiation sensor comprising a substantially convex spherical first surface on the solar radiation side and a substantially concave spherical second surface having a smaller radius of curvature than the first surface on the light receiving element side. 2. A light receiving area provided adjacent to at least three light receiving elements for outputting a detection signal corresponding to the amount of sunlight incident on each of the light receiving areas, and facing each other at a predetermined interval so as to cover the whole of the light receiving elements. One light-receiving lens disposed,
A solar radiation amount calculating unit that calculates a solar radiation state such as a solar radiation amount, a solar radiation altitude, a solar radiation azimuth from the detection signal of each of the light receiving elements, wherein the light receiving lens has an optical axis passing substantially the center of the lens and the plurality of light receiving lenses. The light-receiving region of the light-receiving element is the center of the entire light-receiving surface formed adjacent to the light-receiving element, passes through the intersection of the boundary lines of the light-receiving elements, and has a substantially convex spherical first surface on the solar radiation side and a light-receiving element side. An insolation sensor comprising a substantially concave spherical second surface having a smaller radius of curvature than the first surface. 3. The method of calculating the solar radiation altitude by the solar radiation state computing means, wherein the light receiving area has at least four even numbers, and a maximum or minimum detection signal S among the detection signals of the light receiving area is selected. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detection is performed using an output ratio T / S between the detection signal S and a detection signal T of a light receiving region located substantially diagonally of the light receiving region that outputs the detection signal S. 2. The solar radiation sensor according to 2. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the calculation of the azimuth of the solar radiation is performed by calculating the maximum or minimum of the detection signals.
Is selected, and the detection signal S and the detection signals U and V of the light receiving areas adjacent to the left and right sides of the light receiving area that outputs the detection signal S are selected.
3. The solar radiation sensor according to claim 1, wherein U / S-V / S is calculated by using the following formula, and the calculation is performed using the calculation result.